By: (P)Capt. Edington, J. K. 174th ATKW, FDNY
When I graduated with an engineering degree, I envisioned a future filled with calculations, technical drawings, and physical structures taking shape. I never imagined that a few years into my Air Force career, I’d be equally passionate about something that wasn’t in the original blueprint—project management.
As a young Air Force Captain serving in a civil engineering unit, I’ve found myself at the intersection of two powerful disciplines: engineering and project management. And if you’re a new professional who understands both worlds, you’re sitting on an advantageous—and often underestimated—advantage.
Why Engineers Excel in Project Management
Engineers are trained to think in systems, solve problems with logic, and understand how individual components affect the whole. That’s also the essence of excellent project management: seeing the big picture while navigating details, balancing cost and time without sacrificing quality, and constantly adapting when plans meet reality.
On a recent joint project with state civilian engineers to extend our military airfield, I realized how valuable this dual skill set is. The engineers on our team knew how to troubleshoot structural challenges, while the project managers tracked milestones, budgets, and stakeholder needs. But those of us who could speak both "languages"—the technical and the operational—became the translators, the connectors, and often, the most reliable problem-solvers.
Where Project Managers Benefit from Engineering Know-How
For project managers new to engineering-heavy environments, basic technical literacy goes a long way. You don’t need to design the structure, but understanding why a delay in concrete curing affects the entire schedule makes you a more informed leader. It helps you ask the right questions, set more realistic deadlines, and earn the trust of your technical team.
Two Fields, One Mission
At its core, both engineering and project management are about turning ideas into reality. Engineers bring the "how," while project managers get the "when, who, and how much." The real magic happens when you can bridge that gap.
So whether you started as an engineer stepping into leadership, or a project manager learning to navigate technical projects, don’t see these roles as separate lanes. They’re complementary paths on the same mission: delivering real-world results that last.
Embrace both—and you’ll not only stand out in your field, you’ll enjoy the kind of work that’s as dynamic as it is meaningful.
